OLYMPIC heroine Hidilyn Diaz said she understands the situation of both her fellow national athletes and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) amid a controversy over support, or the lack of it, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diaz took a break from training to join Summit Media editors and reporters during its weekly Sandwich Sessions, just a few days after boxers Irish Magno and Eumir Marcial aired their gripes over what they claim is the government's lack of support to their campaign to win a gold in the Olympics.
Diaz, 30, said both the national athletes and the PSC have their own challenges during the health crisis with the Tokyo Olympics fast approaching, and she urges both camps to understand each other and where they are coming from.
The Filipina weightlifter said the PSC is also facing its own problems especially since its primary source of funding, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has been severely affected by the pandemic.
At the same time, Diaz said Olympic-bound athletesalso deal with a lot of pressure to deliver the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal while being away from family in their buildup to the Tokyo Games.
“Pero siguro ‘yung sasabihin ko lang is naiintindihan ko ang PSC. Siyempre government and ‘yung funding kasi na galing sa PSC is galing sa Pagcor. Alam ko hirap na hirap din sila,” said the silver medalist in the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
“Naiintindihan ko rin ang side ng atleta. ‘Yung mga atletang mag-post sa social media, alam kong may mga pangangailangan sila. ‘Yung pressure sa kanila, sobrang taas. Alam ko ‘yun kasi ganun din ako.
"Marami lang silang iniisip na problema sa pamilya. Dagdagan mo pa ‘yung pressure tapos problema sa pamilya," she added. "Naiintindihan ko sila. Naiintindihan ko rin ‘yung PSC. Naiintindihan ko rin ‘yung NSA [national sports associations]."
Diaz urged both parties to try and understand each other.
“As a sports leader, sana makinig sila sa pangangailangan din ng atleta. At ang atleta, sana makita rin nila ang side ng agency. Kasi lahat may policies ‘yan at mga procedures. Minsan ang atleta kasi, hindi nakikita ‘yung mga procedures na ‘yun."
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